1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin dispensing apparatus, and more particularly, to a coin dispensing apparatus having a large bulk coin storage capacity, within a limited space, including a first coin storage bowl and a second coin storage bowl that can receiving overflowing coins which can operatively translate those coins through a coin transporter unit for re-circulating them to the first coin storage bowl.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High capacity coin hoppers have been suggested for storing, agitating and dispensing a large volume of coins or tokens in a gaming machine, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,495. A rotating coin dispensing disk is tilted to a horizontal surface and receives coins from a cylindrical mount adapter for ejecting coins from the coin hopper. A rotating cylinder is positioned between a coin bowl and the cylindrical mount adapter. Basically, the coins move through the coin hopper, the rotating cylinder, and the mounting adapter for dispensing by the rotating disk. The supply of coins depends upon a gravity feed, and as such, the coin bowl is tilted at least 30xc2x0 and elevated relative to the disposition of the rotating coin disk dispenser.
The Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication 07/000595 discloses an overflow storage bowl which receives overflow coins from a hopper bowl, and a coin carrier device that can carry the coins from the storage bowl to the hopper bowl. A coin transporter unit is mounted within a sidewall of the hopper device for lifting the coins back to the coin hopper.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,589,433 and 5,122,094 are cited of general interest to disclose various types of hopper type coin dispensing apparatuses.
Increasing the coin storage capacity of a coin dispensing apparatus within the allocated space of a gaming machine remains an issue, particularly in the gaming industry, which relies on coin dispensing apparatuses and gaming machines such as slot machines, to continually pay out coins to players at high speeds. Therefore, there is still a need to maximize the coin storage capacity in this industry.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved coin dispensing apparatus having a relatively large coin storage capacity by increasing the operative volumetric capacity of the limited space that is made available in a gaming machine.
The present invention includes a first coin storage member having a coin dispenser unit operatively connected to the first coin storage member for dispensing coins. A second coin storage member is operatively connected to the first coin storage member in such a manner to increase the overall storage capacity and is capable of receiving an overflow of coins when the first coin storage member stores a predetermined quantity of coins. A coin transporter unit is operatively mounted in the base of the second storage member to receive coins from a bottom surface of the second coin storage member and to translate them for removal from the second coin storage member. A coin guide member is operatively connected to the coin transporter unit for lifting coins from the coin transporter unit to return the coins to the first coin storage member. Appropriate sensors can monitor the storage level of coins in the first coin storage member and thereby automatically activate the coin transporter unit in the second coin storage member.
By optimally designing an arrangement between the first coin storage member and the configuration and shape of the second coin storage member, an increase in the storage capacity can be achieved and the previous loss of storage space beneath the first coin storage member can be utilized. The second coin storage member can basically encompass and extend beneath the first coin storage member whereby overflowing coins from the first coin storage member can fall by gravity into the second storage member. A horizontally orientated coin transporter unit can translate the coins from the bottom of the second coin storage member to a vertically orientated guide member that can lift the coins and deposit them by gravity into the first coin storage member.
The first coin storage member can still have a tilted disposition so that a gravity feed can direct coins to a coin dispenser unit operatively connected to the first coin storage member. The coin transporter unit mounted in the second coin storage member can be mounted underneath the first coin storage member with the coin guide member extending along a side of the second storage member for returning coins to the first coin storage member at a position above the coin dispenser unit. The arrangement of the coin transporter unit and coin guide member does not require a sloping bottom surface for the second coin storage member, and thereby maximizes the quantity of coins stored in the second coin storage member. The coin guide member can be relatively inexpensively constructed and can be integrally formed as a portion of the second coin storage member. The coin guide member can include a groove of an appropriate dimension for the coins which can be integrally formed on an outer wall surface of the second coin storage member. Alternatively, the coin guide member can be attached to an outer surface of the second coin storage member to further strengthen the construction. Preferably a drive member used for rotating the coin transporter unit is placed along one side of the second coin storage member.